Africa highlights: Thursday 23 July 2015

Photos of men at a wedding in the self-declared republic of Somaliland holding up "still I am single signs" have been generating a huge amount of comment on Facebook.

Buuni AdamCopyright: Buuni Adam

A guest at the wedding in Hargeisa told the BBC Somali service that bachelors agreed to hold up the signs and be photographed on Wednesday.

The man who staged it - Buuni Adam - said that it was because weddings had become such expensive affairs these days it was making it difficult for men to tie the knot.

Footage showing Ghana's first leader after independence, Kwame Nkrumah, visiting the former Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie, has been put on YouTube as part of a massive archive project by the Associated Press and British Movietone. 

The footage, from 1958, shows Mr Nkrumah stroking Emperor Selassie's pet lion. 

Around a million minutes of news footage, dating from 1895 to the present day, including historic moments from African counties' fight for independence, have now been uploaded to the video sharing website as part of the new project.

Click here to see the AP archive channel and here for the British MovieTone channel. You can search the archive by keyword.  

South Sudanese boda-boda motorcycle taxis have been protesting about lack of fuel in the town of Yei, donor-funded Radio Tamazuj reports.

The demonstration on Wednesday left eight petrol stations damaged and officers had to fire shots into the air to disperse them, it says.

A police inspector said more than 30 drivers were arrested and 70 motorbikes were confiscated.

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South Sudan's most respected peace campaigner, Bishop Emeritus Paride Taban, has appealed to his countrymen living abroad to provide an example of unity rather than fuel violence back home.

Diaspora communities have been accused of stoking ethnic hatred and even of buying weapons during South Sudan's 18-month civil war.

He told the BBC’s Focus on Africa radio programme that he's in London to minimise these tensions:

Today international mediators urged the government and the rebels to sign a peace deal by 17 August.

Fifa has asked the Russian Football Union (RFU) to explain an alleged incident of racism inflicted on Ghanaian footballer Emmanuel Frimpong.

The former Arsenal midfielder was sent off playing for FC Ufa against Spartak Moscow on 17 July for a gesture to the crowd after saying he heard monkey chants.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

The midfielder was banned for two games but Spartak escaped punishment after the RFU found no evidence of racism. See the BBC Sport story for more.

The BBC's Ahemd Adan has just snapped this hawker selling US flags in Eastleigh, the mainly Somali area of Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

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Traffic has died down following the evening rush hour, he says.

Elsewhere the traffic is still bad as people rush home, anxious to get their vehicles out of the city centre as many roads will be closed ahead of Barack Obama's visit.

Many have decided not to go to work on Friday because of the lockdown for the US leader, our reporter says.

Namibia's cricketers have failed for a second and final chance to qualify for next year's World T20 tournament in India.

They have lost this afternoon in Dublin to Oman by five wickets - Namibia scored 148 for 9 off their twenty overs - in reply Oman surpassed their total with five wickets and an over to spare - so it's Oman who will be heading to India next year.

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Nigerians are bitterly complaining about the hike in the price of chickens since customs officials began impounding frozen poultry imports because of health concerns last month, says the BBC's Umar Shehu Elleman in the Lagos who took these shots at local market:

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BBCCopyright: BBC

Traders in Lagos say customers who paid 800 naira ($4, £2.50) for a small chicken in June would now pay between 1,200 and 1,500 naira.

The vendors deny they are taking advantage of the situation and blame the rise on the scarcity of locally produced chickens.

The hashtag #SomeoneTellCNN has now been used 120,000 times on Twitter in under 24 hours after the US news organisation referred to Kenya as a "hotbed of terror" ahead of President Obama's visit this weekend. 

Here are some of the most popular posts on the story:

South Africa produces about half of the continent's electricity, but it is now having to endure rolling blackouts on an almost daily basis. Few people expect the situation to improve anytime soon.

For the BBC's radio documentary series Assignment, Neal Razzell has travelled to South Africa to find out why this crisis has arisen and how it is affecting life in Africa's second-largest economy.

Click here to listen to the full programme.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

There was drama at the international airport in Ghana’s capital, Accra, early this morning after a British Airways flight was grounded when two passengers demanded to be let off the plane after they had boarded.

After three hours of heated exchanges between the two passengers and the crew, the pilot turned off the engine – and the flight was cancelled.

The 200 passengers, who had to disembark and fetch their luggage, have yet to receive an explanation, one angry traveller told me.

The flight has been rescheduled for this evening. 

Chelsea's Mohamed Salah looks set to complete a deal to go to Roma. More details appear to be leaking suggesting the Blues will turn a profit on the $17m (£11m) they paid Basel for the 23-year-old back in January 2014.

Italian journalist Gianluca Dimarzio says that the deal will consist of a one-season loan, worth $2.1m, with an obligation for the Serie A club to buy the Egypt international for $22m once the temporary arrangement is over. 

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  Salah has hinted something is up with this recent post on his Twitter profile:  

A Zimbabwean MP held up a pair of women's knickers in parliament to protest against the importing of second-hand underwear, AFP news agency reports.

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"I would like to ask the minister of finance, what is the government policy on the importation of second-hand underwear which may harm women's health in the long term, but are cheap?" AFP quotes opposition MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (above) as saying.

The MP then produced a plastic bag and brought out two pairs of second-hand women's underwear to show to the chamber.

According to Kenya Athletics , the youth team is returning after retaining its second position in the world rankings with 13 medals from IAAF World Youth Championships in Columbia.

The intention of the expanded mediation announced today by the 'IGAD Plus' (a patchwork of regional and international partners) is for South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar to sign a 'Compromise Agreement' by August 17th.

The proposed deal would be the culmination of all the negotiations since January 2014, and would establish an inclusive Transitional Government of National Unity which would agree on a constitution and lead the country to elections.

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However it is by no means clear that the two sides will be able to overcome their differences, including on the terms of power sharing and the status of the rebel forces, in order to come to agreement.

Previous cessation of hostilities agreements haven't been respected, and talks have made little progress. However both sides are under greater international pressure than ever before, as the conflict drags on.

Somalia's president says he has proved the sceptics wrong, after the army's capture on Wednesday of Bardere from the Islamist al-Shabab group.

"When I became president, I made securing Somalia a top priority. Three years ago, many described the commitment I made 'ambitious'. But we have proved the sceptics wrong," Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has said in a statement.

"There is no future in extremism. Our doors remain open for those willing to renounce this false calling and join in the rebuilding efforts of our people and country. The time is now."

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Kenya's Interior Minister Joseph Nkaisserry has asked CNN to apologise after describing the East African country as a "terror hotbed" ahead of President Barack Obama's visit.

Kenyans on social media have reacted angrily to the US news channel's report, using the hashtag #SomeoneTellCNN on Twitter.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

A South African parliamentary committee has found evidence of poor workmanship on renovations at President Jacob Zuma's private home.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

A visit to the residence in Nkandla also revealed that the upgrades were not worth the $23m (£15m) it cost taxpayers, according to the MPs.

"We were also shocked with the workmanship of the clinic... At the moment, I would say that facility requires a lot of work because it is clearly visible that money has been wasted," said chairperson of the committee MP Cedric Frolick.

A 2014 corruption investigation said the president "benefited unduly" from state money.

And you can see how President Zuma's Nklandla home has grown in this gallery we put together last year.

BBC Newshour has interviewed the legendary South African songstresses, who have performed with the likes of Harry Belafonte and Baaba Maal.

"You would be surprised when you see us on stage, we jump around like 16-year-olds," they said.

The US embassy in Kenya's capital has been tweeting about this weekend's visit of President Barack Obama:

On Thursday, it was announced that planes flying lower than 20,000 feet would be banned from flying over Nairobi during the three-day visit . 

The embassy reiterated that the US president was unlikely to travel to his father's ancestral home in the west of Kenya:

WBC welterweight champion, Zimbabwean boxer Charles Manyuchi, met President Robert Mugabe today after successfully defending his title, beating Gianluca Frezza in the sixth round in Italy on Saturday.

However, his return home was marred when his trophy was confiscated briefly at Harare airport on Wednesday by the revenue authorities.

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His trainer later said it was an unfortunate incident and Mr Mugabe praised the pugilist, inviting him to lunch at state house next week.

Manyuchi wants to fight British boxer Amir Khan next, his trainer said.

Amnesty International has called for the release of at least 13 people, including a rapper and an academic, held in Angola for allegedly plotting to oust President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

The detentions were a "ploy to suppress dissenting voices", the rights group said.

They were arrested last month after attending a meeting to discuss the human rights situation in Angola. See the BBC News story for more.

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The official Twitter account for South Africa's Department of Women is now trending across the country, after it posted this tweet to as part of a debate about violent abuse against women:

Many have taken offence to what they see as the insensitive phrasing of the question:

Here's the BBC's updated map about which territory is controlled by those vying for control of Somalia following Wednesday's capture of the south-western town of Bardere by government forces backed by African Union troops.

The Islamist militant al-Shabab group had been in control of the strategic town, about 460km (285 miles) west of the capital Mogadishu, since 2008.

The pro-government forces have been slowly taking control of the country's major roads:

Updated July 2015Copyright: Updated July 2015

BBC reporter in Kenyan capital, Nairobi, tweets about the US leader's upcoming visit:

Facing hair discrimination at work? Thinking of going natural? Looking for advice on caring for your scalp under a weave? Our live Q&A on the BBC Arica Facebook Page is starting now (11:00 GMT), and we'll have a team of hair experts to answer your questions, as part of our continuing focus on Afro hair this week.

See our special series of reports here.

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Ghana international midfielder Bernard Mensah has signed for Atletico Madrid on a long-term deal, the Spanish La Liga side has said.

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The 20-year-old moves from Portuguese club Vitoria Guimaraes and has agreed a six-year contract. See the BBC Sport story for more.

Newspapers in Ghana are leading with story of the arrest of a driver and his conductor after police discovered 800 packs of shotgun cartridges in the luggage compartment of a bus.

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The commercial bus, loaded with passengers, was travelling from the capital, Accra, to Techiman in the Bono Ahafo region in the centre of the county.

The alleged owner of the ammunition has also been arrested.

The BBC team in Kenya have been sending in photos from the capital, Nairobi, where Barack Obama will be arriving tomorrow.

Here, US presidential aircraft rumble over the city before landing at the university grounds for a dry-run, says Milton Nkosi:

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BBCCopyright: BBC

They kicked up quite a dust storm:

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And Kim Chakanetsa snapped more last-minute efforts to spruce things up as she waited in traffic, as women added a fresh coat of paint to some bollards:

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Kenyans have propelled the hashtag #SomeoneTellCNN to Twitter's list of globally trending topics, after the US news organisation described the country as "a hotbed of terror" ahead of President Obama's visit. 

BBC Pop Up, which makes reports based on audience suggestions, has been finding out more about the changes being affected by the community known as #KOT  - Kenyans on Twitter:

The black Frenchman, originally from Mauritania, who was racially abused by Chelsea fans on the Paris Metro in February, has said he wants the men to be extradited from the UK so they can be tried in France.

Video surfaced showing a group of fans preventing Mr Sylla from boarding the train, amid chants of "we're racist and that's the way we like it".

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In an interview with the BBC, Souleymane Sylla said: "I want compensation for me and my family.

"My children are traumatised - I am too but it's the effect on my children that hurts the most. It's not over yet by a long shot. I want them to be extradited from England and brought to trial in my own country."

Four men were banned from attending football matches for up to five years at a court hearing in the UK on Wednesday. The men have not faced criminal charges in the UK over the incident.

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Amnesty International has been tweeting about the release of its report this morning warning that Burundi "appears to be on the verge of conflict" with Burundian authorities repressing demonstrations as if they were an insurrection. Pierre Nkurunziza stood for a controversial third-term as president in elections on Tuesday: 

Some residents of Tanzania's main city of Dar es Salaam have been queuing this morning to be registered for October's elections when biometric cards will be used for the first time in voting.

The 10-day long exercise started on Wednesday, with the electoral commission targeting some five million eligible voters in the city.

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BBCCopyright: BBC

Potential voters have to present some ID, fill in their contact details and get fingerprinted:

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However, in some centres, the exercise is reported to have started very late:

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Nigerian presidential spokesman Garbu Shehu has retweeted these photos of President Muhammadu Buhari ending his visit to the US:

Kenya's Daily Nation clearly thinks there is a big appetite among its readers ahead of US President Barack Obama's arrival this weekend, says the BBC's Nkem Ifejika in Nairobi. The newspaper has published a whopping 32-page pullout about the visit and what it means for the country.

#SomeoneTellCNN is now trending worldwide on Twitter, after the US news organisation referred to Kenya as "a hotbed of terror" ahead of President Barack Obama's arrival in Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on Friday.

TrendsmapCopyright: Trendsmap

Kenyans have reacted angrily to the report, and have been sharing positive stories about Kenya in reply, as the country's Citizen TV reports:

CitizenTVCopyright: CitizenTV

The US has "aided and abetted" the Boko Haram Islamist militant group by refusing to provide weapons to Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has said during his trip to Washington.

A US law prevents the government from selling arms to countries which fail to tackle human rights.

The Nigerian leader met President Barack Obama on Monday to seek further assistance.

Boko Haram videoCopyright: Boko Haram video

At least 29 people have been killed in the blasts at bus stations in the northern Nigerian city of Gombe, a Red Cross official has told the Reuters news agency.

It is feared that the death toll will rise with reports of dozens of people injured when the bombs exploded on Wednesday night.

The militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which often targets northern Nigeria, has stepped up suicide attacks since President Muhammudu Buhari took office in May.

Our BBC News story has more details

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At least 15 people have been killed on in a crash between a cargo vessel and a passenger boat on Egypt's River Nile.

Family and friends of a young couple had hired the boat for an engagement party and were sailing north of Cairo when the crash happened, according to AFP news agency.

An Interior Ministry statement said 15 bodies had been found and six people were still missing. See BBC News story for more.

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A company in Liberia behind one of the world's biggest palm oil businesses has been accused of using the Ebola outbreak to increase its landholdings, in a new report by campaign group Global Witness.

The group says that the company behind the plantations, Golden Viroleum (GVL), ramped up land clearances during the recent Ebola outbreak, while community support groups were busy responding to the health crisis.

GVL says it only signed pre-existing agreements during the outbreak.

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Today's African proverb: If one fish in the basket rots, they all rot. Sent by Deus Zakalia Mahlati Gondwe in Mzuzu, Malawi.

Click here to send us your African proverbs.

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